Living Religions: A Brief Introduction

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For courses in World Religions, Comparative Religions, or Introduction to Religion. This concise edition provides a sympathetic approach to what is living and significant in the religions of the modern world. This brief survey explores the historical development and teachings of traditional faiths, indigenous religions and new religious movements, and considers how each of these has evolved into contemporary beliefs and practices.

The Religious Response

16

(9)

Why Are There Religions?

16

(3)

Understandings of Ultimate Reality

19

(1)

Worship, Symbol, and Myth

20

(1)

Absolutist and Liberal Interpretations

21

(1)

Angels Weep

22

(1)

The Negative Side of Organized Religion

23

(1)

Suggested Reading

24

(1)

Indigenous Sacred Ways

25

(21)

Barriers to Understanding

25

(2)

Cultural Diversity

27

(1)

The Circle of Right Relationships

28

(6)

Relationships with spirit

29

(1)

Kinship with all creation

30

(2)

Relationships with power

32

(2)

Spiritual Specialists

34

(4)

Storytellers and other sacred roles

34

(1)

Shamans

35

(3)

Living Indigenous Sacred Ways: An Interview with Nadezhda Ananyevna Stepanova

38

(1)

Contemporary Rituals

39

(3)

Group observances

39

(2)

Individual observances

41

(1)

Contemporary Issues

42

(2)

Religion in Public Life - Winona LaDuke

44

(1)

Suggested Reading

45

(1)

Hinduism

46

(29)

Harappan Civilization

47

(1)

Vedic Religion

47

(10)

Fire sacrifices and the cosmic order

50

(1)

Castes and social duties

51

(1)

Philosophy of the Upanishads

52

(1)

Bhakti in the epics and Puranas

53

(4)

Spiritual Disciplines

57

(3)

The guru

57

(1)

Yogic practices

57

(3)

Major Theistic Cults

60

(1)

Living Hinduism: An Interview with Sarala Chakrabarty

61

(4)

Saktas

61

(2)

Saivites

63

(1)

Vaishnavites

64

(1)

Major Philosophical Systems

65

(1)

Samkhya

65

(1)

Advaita Vedanta

65

(1)

Popular Forms of Worship

66

(3)

Devotions and rituals

66

(1)

Festivals

67

(2)

Hinduism in the Modern World

69

(3)

Global Hinduism

70

(1)

Hindu exclusivism vs. universalism

71

(1)

Religion in Public Life - Dr. Karan Singh

72

(2)

Suggested Reading

74

(1)

Buddhism

75

(28)

The Life of the Buddha

75

(3)

The Dharma

78

(6)

The basic facts of existence

79

(1)

The Eightfold Path of liberation

80

(2)

The wheel of birth and death

82

(1)

Nirvana

83

(1)

Buddhism South and North

84

(4)

Theravada: the path of mindfulness

84

(3)

Mahayana: the path of compassion and metaphysics

87

(1)

Living Buddhism: An Interview with Komkai Charoensuk

88

(5)

Vajrayana: indestructible way to unity

91

(2)

Religion in Public Life - His Holiness the Dalai Lama

93

(5)

Zen: the great way of enlightenment

94

(2)

Pure Land: calling on Amida Buddha

96

(1)

Nichiren: salvation through the Lotus Sutra

97

(1)

Buddhism in the West

98

(2)

Socially Engaged Buddhism

100

(1)

Suggested Reading

101

(2)

Taoism and Confucianism

103

(22)

Ancient Traditions

103

(3)

Taoism - The Way of Nature and Immortality

106

(7)

Teachings of Taoist sages

106

(3)

Immortals Taoism

109

(3)

Popular Taoism today

112

(1)

Confucianism - The Practice of Virtue

113

(8)

Master K'ung's life

114

(1)

The Confucian virtues

115

(2)

Divergent followers of Confucius

117

(1)

The state cult

118

(1)

Confucianism under communism

119

(2)

Living Confucianism: An Interview with Ann-ping Chin

121

(3)

Confucianism in East Asia

123

(1)

Suggested Reading

124

(1)

Shinto

125

(11)

The Essence of Shinto

125

(6)

Kinship with nature

125

(1)

Honoring the kami

126

(1)

Shrines

127

(1)

Ceremonies

128

(1)

Purification

129

(1)

Festivals

130

(1)

Buddhist and Confucian Influences

131

(2)

State Shinto

131

(2)

Living Shinto: An Interview with Hitoshi Iwasaki

133

(1)

Shinto Today

134

(1)

Suggested Reading

135

(1)

Judaism

136

(36)

A History of the Jewish People

136

(19)

Biblical stories

137

(7)

Return to Jerusalem

144

(2)

Rabbinic Judaism

146

(2)

Judaism in the Middle Ages

148

(2)

Kabbalah and Hasidism

150

(1)

American Judaism

151

(1)

Holocaust

152

(1)

Zionism

153

(2)

Torah

155

(4)

The One God

155

(1)

Love for God

156

(1)

The sacredness of human life

156

(1)

Law

157

(1)

Suffering and faith

158

(1)

Sacred Practices

159

(1)

Living Judaism: an Interview with Herman Taube

160

(3)

Holy Days

163

(2)

Contemporary Judaism

165

(1)

Major branches today

165

(1)

Religion in Public Life - Janice Perlman

166

(4)

Jewish feminism

168

(1)

Jewish renewal

169

(1)

Suggested Reading

170

(2)

Christianity

172

(51)

The Christian Bible

172

(2)

The Life and Teachings of Jesus

174

(3)

Birth

174

(1)

Preparation

174

(1)

Ministry

175

(2)

Living Christianity: An Interview with David Vandiver

177

(7)

Challenges to the authorities

180

(2)

Crucifixion

182

(1)

Resurrection

183

(1)

The Early Church

184

(5)

From persecution to empire

185

(2)

Evolving organization and theology

187

(2)

Early monasticism

189

(1)

The Eastern Orthodox Church

189

(5)

The history of the Orthodox Church

189

(1)

The Russian Orthodox Church

190

(2)

The Orthodox world today

192

(1)

Distinctive features of Orthodox spirituality

192

(2)

Medieval Roman Catholicism

194

(3)

Papal power

194

(1)

Intellectual revival and monasticism

195

(1)

Medieval mysticism

196

(1)

The Protestant Reformation

197

(4)

The Roman Catholic Reformation

201

(1)

The Impact of the Enlightenment

202

(1)

The Second Vatican Council

203

(1)

Central Beliefs in Contemporary Christianity

204

(2)

Sacred Practices

206

(7)

Worship services and sacraments

206

(2)

The liturgical year

208

(2)

Contemplative prayer

210

(1)

Devotion to Mary

211

(2)

Veneration of saints and angels

213

(1)

Contemporary Trends

213

(4)

Evangelicalism

215

(1)

Charismatics

215

(1)

Cultural broadening

216

(1)

Religion in Public Life - Archbishop Desmond Tutu

217

(4)

Liberation theology

218

(1)

Feminist theology

218

(2)

Creation-centered Christianity

220

(1)

Ecumenical movement

220

(1)

Suggested Reading

221

(2)

Islam

223

(33)

The Prophet Muhammad

223

(5)

The Qur'an

228

(1)

The Central Teachings

229

(2)

The Oneness of God and of humanity

230

(1)

Religion in Public Life - Farid Esack

231

(3)

Prophethood and the compass of Islam

232

(1)

Human relationship to the divine

232

(1)

The unseen life

233

(1)

The Last Judgment

233

(1)

The Sunni-Shi'ite Split

234

(3)

Sunnis

235

(1)

Shi'ites

236

(1)

Sufism

237

(2)

The Five Pillars and Jihad

239

(1)

Living Islam: An Interview with Khaled Aly Khaled

240

(5)

Belief and witness

241

(1)

Daily prayers

241

(1)

Zakat

242

(1)

Fasting

242

(1)

Hajj

243

(1)

Jihad

244

(1)

The Spread of Islam

245

(3)

Islamic culture

246

(1)

Eastward expansion

247

(1)

Relationships with the West

248

(2)

Islam in the United States

249

(1)

Muslim Resurgence

250

(4)

Return to Shari'ah

250

(2)

Outreach and education

252

(1)

Islam in politics

252

(2)

Islam for the future

254

(1)

Suggested Reading

254

(2)

Sikhism

256

(13)

The Sant Tradition

256

(1)

Guru Nanak

257

(1)

The Succession of Gurus

258

(3)

Central Beliefs

261

(2)

Sacred Practices

263

(2)

Religion in Public Life - His Holiness Baba Virsa Singh

265

(1)

Sikhism Today

266

(1)

Living Sikhism: An Interview with G. S. Jauhal

267

(1)

Suggested Reading

268

(1)

Religion at the Turn of the Century

269

(19)

New Religious Movements

269

(1)

Apocalyptic Expectations

270

(2)

Supernatural Powers and Revelations

272

(1)

Offshoots and Combinations of Older Religions

272

(1)

Natural Spirituality

273

(2)

Universalist Religions

275

(1)

Religious Pluralism

276

(2)

Hardening of religious boundaries

276

(2)

Interfaith Movement

278

(5)

Responses to other faiths

279

(1)

Interfaith initiatives

280

(3)

Religion and Social Issues

283

(1)

Religion and Materialism

284

(2)

Religion and the Future of Humanity

286

(1)

Suggested Reading

286

(2)

Notes

288

(12)

Glossary

300

(10)

Index

310

Religion is not a museum piece. At the dawn of the twenty-first century, it is a vibrant force in the lives of many people around the world, and many religions are presently experiencing a renaissance. Living Religions: A Brief Introduction,which is a brief edition of Living Religions, fourth edition, remains a sympathetic approach to what is living and significant in the world's major religious traditions and in various new movements that are arising. This book provides a clear and straightforward account of the development, doctrines, and practices of the major faiths followed today. The emphasis throughout is on the personal consciousness of believers and their own accounts of their religion and its relevance in contemporary life. Special features The seven feature boxes on "Religion in Public Life" portray the Spiritual roots of people who are making significant contributions to society. They include indigenous environmental activist Winona LaDuke, Hindu statesman and interfaith leader Dr. Karan Singly His Holiness the Dalai Lama whose political efforts on behalf of Tibet are undergirded by Buddhist principles, social activist Dr. Janice Penman whose Jewish roots have developed her compassion for marginalized people, Dr. Desmond Tutu and Dr. Farid Esack, who as a faithful Christian and a faithful Muslim, respectively, have played significant roles in South Africa's freedom movement and subsequent rebuilding, and His Holiness Baba Virsa Singly who draws on the universal themes in Sikh tradition to encourage open-mindedness and altruism among Indian public figures. The socio-political context of the contemporary practice of religions includes an exploration of Hindu nationalism, Buddhist social activism, Confucianism in today's China, Judaism in today's Israel, Islam and the development of nation-states, and Sikh politics. There is significant coverage of women in religion. Personal interviews with followers of each faith provide first-person accounts of each religion as perceived from within the tradition. These are presented at length in boxes and also in excerpts woven throughout the text. The book incorporates extensive quotations from primary sources to give a direct perception of the thinking and flavor of each tradition. Particularly memorable brief quotations are set off in boxes. Three chapters in this book are quite unique. One is the first chapter, "The Religious Response," which explores perspectives on religion in general. These include skeptical materialistic views and psychological perspectives, as well as the point of view that religions are responses to a sacred Reality which cannot be physically perceived but which can perhaps be experienced inwardly. The chapter also includes an exploration of the role of myth and varying types of religious understanding, including contemporary tensions between absolutist and liberal interpretations. The second chapter portrays the little-understood indigenous religions. I have tried to bypass misleading accounts of indigenous traditions written by outsiders, and to get at the heart of how real people experience their close-to-nature spiritual ways. As we face the possibility of ecological collapse and urban residents feel increasingly alienated from the natural world, it is especially important that these surviving followers of the ancient ways be heard correctly. The chapter includes contemporary efforts to revive the traditional knowledge and practices. Chapter 11 explores the global religious scene at the turn of the twentieth century. It discusses some types of new religious movements of the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries and issues which have arisen with their development, such as opposition from previously established religions. This chapter also surveys global trends found in all religions, including both an increase in "fundamentalist" rigidities and a softening of historical boundari